Two Florence businesses evacuated due to hoax bomb threat

Two businesses were searched by Florence police bomb dogs. Nothing was found.

Posted: Dec 14, 2018 5:09 PM

Posted By: Breken Terry

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A second Florence has fallen victim to bomb threats that disrupted the nation. Friday morning, Florence Police evacuated "Global fire sprinklers" after an email demanded money and threatened the business. They searched the business and found no bomb.

It's the same thing that led to businesses, universities and hospitals being evacuated across the country on Thursday.

Global fire sprinklers was the second business in Florence that this happened to. Thursday, the Potts and Young law office and surrounding buildings were evacuated after a threatening email was sent to the law office.

Frank Potts, of the Potts and Young Law Firm, told WAAY31 when he opened his emails on Thursday and read the threat he thought it was a joke.

"I just thought this is ridiculous," said Potts.

The email said there was a bomb in the building dnd the person demanded $20,000 in bitcoin or the bomb would go off. Potts showed us the email that describes what type of bomb is in the building and said there would be many victims if it were to go off. Potts said one of the attorneys in the office forwarded the email to the Lauderdale County District Attorney.

"The next thing I knew I was negotiating a case here and Florence's bomb squad came in with the dogs and wanted us to evacuate the building," said Potts.

Florence police did a search and found nothing, but the FBI is now investigating hundreds of threats like this one.

"It's happened to other businesses throughout the country and hospitals and even schools. It's just a sad day," said Potts.

Potts said Florence Police did an amazing job. Even though he thought it was a hoax from the beginning he says it's better to be on the safe side.